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Unless otherwise noted, the content of this course material is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License. Copyright 2008, Thomas Sisson The following information is intended to inform and educate and is not a tool for self-diagnosis or a replacement for medical evaluation, advice, diagnosis or treatment by a healthcare professional. You should speak to your physician or make an appointment to be seen if you have questions or concerns about this information or your medical condition. You assume all responsibility for use and potential liability associated with any use of the material. Material contains copyrighted content, used in accordance with U.S. law. Copyright holders of content included in this material should contact open.michigan@umich.edu with any questions, corrections, or clarifications regarding the use of content. The Regents of the University of Michigan do not license the use of third party content posted to this site unless such a license is specifically granted in connection with particular content objects. Users of content are responsible for their compliance with applicable law. Mention of specific products in this recording solely represents the opinion of the speaker and does not represent an endorsement by the University of Michigan. Viewer discretion advised: Material may contain medical images that may be disturbing to some viewers.

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Objectives To understand the diffusion of gases in the lung –Define diffusion and contrast with bulk flow –State Fick’s law for diffusion –Distinguish between diffusion limitation and perfusion limitation –Describe the diffusion of oxygen from the alveoli into the blood –Describe the diffusion of CO 2 from blood to alveoli –Define diffusing capacity and discuss its measurement

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Bulk Flow vs. Diffusion The cross sectional area increases with airway generation. Large volume/time, with decreasing velocity at any point. –Imagine a fast flowing river reaching a delta. The velocity of gas during inspiration becomes tiny at the level of the respiratory bronchiole- at this level diffusion becomes the chief mode of gas movement. Source: Undetermined

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Gas Movement due to Diffusion Diffusion - movement of gas due to molecular motion, rather than flow. –Akin to the spread of a scent in a room, rather than wind. –Random motion leads to distribution of gas molecules in alveolus.

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Diffusion Driven by concentration gradients: –differences in partial pressure of the individual gases. Movement of O 2 and CO 2 between the level of the respiratory bronchiole and that of the alveolar space depends only on diffusion. The distances are small, so diffusion here is fast.

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Diffusion Across a Membrane BY: University of Michigan Medical School http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en

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Limitations of Gas Transfer Diffusion Coefficient. –Different gases behave differently. Surface Area and Thickness of the alveolar wall. Partial Pressure Gradient across the alveolar wall for each individual gas. –Depends on both alveolar and mixed venous partial pressure (start of capillary).

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Carbon monoxide Change in Blood Partial Pressure of Three Gases with Time in the Capillary Source: Pulmonary Physiology, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 2007

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N 2 O is Perfusion Limited –N 2 O is very soluble in biological tissues and diffuses rapidly. –PcN 2 O rises rapidly in the alveolar capillary –Quickly have PcN 2 O =P A N 2 O. –Because there is no pressure gradient, no diffusion occurs after about 0.1 sec. –Fresh blood entering the capillary has not yet equilibrated and can still take up N 2 O. –Increased blood flow will increase gas transfer –Transfer of N 2 O is perfusion limited.

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Change in Blood Partial Pressure of Three Gases with Time in the Capillary Carbon Monoxide Source: Pulmonary Physiology, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 2007

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Carbon Monoxide is Diffusion Limited –Blood PCO rises very slowly because CO is bound to Hgb, with very little dissolved. –Capillary PcCO does not approach P A CO. –Partial pressure gradient is maintained throughout the time the blood is in the capillary. Diffusion continues throughout this time. –Transfer of CO is limited by diffusivity, surface area, and thickness of the wall.

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Transfer of Oxygen Under normal conditions, PcO 2 reaches P A O 2 about 1/3 of the distance through the capillary. Therefore under normal conditions transfer is perfusion limited. With exercise, the time blood spends in the capillary is reduced- no longer perfusion but diffusion limitation. In the setting of thickened alveolar wall, transfer is reduced. –With severely disturbed diffusion, there is limitation even at rest

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DLCO Has Two Components Diffusion across the alveolar membrane. Reaction with hemoglobin. xVcDmDL  111  BY: University of Michigan Medical School http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en

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How would the Following Change the Diffusion Capacity of the Lungs? Changing from supine to upright Exercise Anemia Valsalva maneuver Low cardiac output due to hemorrhage Emphysema Pulmonary fibrosis